Yūki, Ibaraki

Yūki (結城市, Yūki-shi) is a city located in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 October 2020, the city had an estimated population of 50,282 in 19,353 households and a population density of 765 persons per km2. The percentage of the population aged over 65 was 30.8%.[1] The total area of the town is 65.76 square kilometres (25.39 sq mi). Yūki is famous for its production of yūki-tsumugi, a traditional fabric production technique which is an Important Intangible Cultural Property, and the city has a rich religious history, with many older Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines.

Yūki
結城市
City
Yūki city hall
Yūki city hall
Flag of Yūki
Flag
Official seal of Yūki
Seal
Location of Yūki in Ibaraki Prefecture
Location of Yūki in Ibaraki Prefecture
Yūki is located in Japan
Yūki
Yūki
 
Coordinates: 36°18′19.7″N 139°52′35.9″E
CountryJapan
RegionKantō region
PrefectureIbaraki
Government
 • MayorFumio Zenba (since August 2011)
Area
 • Total65.76 km2 (25.39 sq mi)
Population
 (October 2020)
 • Total50,282
 • Density760/km2 (2,000/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
- TreeMulberry
- FlowerLilium
Phone number0296-32-1111
AddressOji-Yuki 1447, Yuki-shi, Ibaraki-ken 307-8501
WebsiteOfficial website
Yuki Information and Communication Center
The Flower Association of Japan

Geography

Yūki is located in far western Ibaraki Prefecture, bordered by Tochigi Prefecture to the north and west, and separated from the rest of Ibaraki Prefecture by the Kinugawa River. It is closely related to Tochigi Prefecture in terms of culture (such as dialects), economy, and transportation due to the close proximity to the city of Oyama.

Surrounding municipalities

Ibaraki Prefecture

Tochigi Prefecture

Climate

Yūki has a humid continental climate (per the Köppen climate classification) characterized by warm summers and cool winters with light snowfall. The average annual temperature in Yūki is 14.1 °C (57.4 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,321 mm (52.0 in) with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 26.2 °C (79.2 °F), and lowest in January, at around 2.8 °C (37.0 °F).[2]

Demographics

Per Japanese census data,[3] the population of Yūki has remained relatively steady over the past 40 years.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 27,379—    
1930 30,948+13.0%
1940 32,137+3.8%
1950 39,894+24.1%
1960 38,060−4.6%
1970 39,561+3.9%
1980 49,387+24.8%
1990 53,288+7.9%
2000 52,774−1.0%
2010 52,494−0.5%
2020 50,645−3.5%

History

The area of Yūki was an important center for the production of cotton, flax and woven goods from the Nara period. From the Kamakura period onwards, the area was controlled by the Yūki clan, who developed a castle town around Yūki Castle. This subsequently became the center of Yūki Domain which was ruled by 10 generations of a junior branch of the Mizuno clan under the Tokugawa shogunate in the Edo period.

The town of Yūki was created with the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. On March 15, 1954, Yūki merged with the neighboring villages of Yamakawa, Kinugawa, Egawa and Kamiyamakawa and was elevated to city status.

Government

Yūki has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 18 members. Yūki contributes one member to the Ibaraki Prefectural Assembly. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Ibaraki 7th district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Economy

Yūki has an industrial park, however, the local economy remains based on agriculture and food processing. The main crops include rice, kanpyō, lettuce, and corn.

Education

Yūki has nine public elementary schools and three public middle schools operated by the city government, and three public high schools operated by the Ibaraki Prefectural Board of Education. The prefectural also operates a special education school for the handicapped.

Transportation

Railway

JR East – Mito Line

Highway

Sister city relations

Local attractions
  • Site of Yūki Castle
  • Grave of Mizuno Tadakuni
  • Yūki old town with old warehouses

Noted people from Yūki

References
  1. "Ibaraki prefectural official statistics" (in Japanese). Japan.
  2. Yūki climate data
  3. Yūki population statistics
  4. "Yuki (Ibaraki) & Mechelen (Antwerp)". Sister Cities. Embassy of Japan in Belgium. 2013. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
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